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Sefer Chafetz Chayim םייח ץפח רפס
Hilchot Esurei Lashon Hara ערה ןושל ירוסיא תוכלה
Kelal Zayin - Halachah 9 ה הכלה - ז ללכ
(However) that is not so! First, perhaps Rebbe believed that his son had the הממ הזל היארו .ךתימע ללכמ אציד ירחא ,וילע
same authority as two witnesses and he would never lie, and his motivation
in accepting what his son, Rebbe Shimon, said was beneficial, to teach Bar ינסד ןאמ יאה ארמימה ח"קסב ליעל ונראיבש
Kapparah a useful lesson for the future, not to say such things again (about ופרחל וליפא ג"הכב ל"זר וריתהש 'וכו הינעמוש
anyone). This because Rebbe held that Bar Kapparah’s statement, “and
what could Rebbe possibly say that would resolve this question?!” was בתכש ומכ ךתימע ללכב ונניאש ךחרכ לעו ותוזבלו
the expression of a sin. How does he (Bar Kapparah) know that? (What קספנש ומכו ]פ"ק א"דב[ 'ו הוצמב םיארי רפס לעב
information did he have that would lead him to make that statement?)
In making that statement he was diminishing the greatness of his rabbis. ,י"מנה םשב ח"כר ןמיסב םירבד תאנוא ןידב מ"חב
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Please see further on in the Laws of Rechilut, the 6 Kelal, 5 halacha, כ"שמכו וינפב אלש ויתובעות וילע רפסל ה"הו
that if his motivation is to achieve a future benefit, it is permitted to believe
the speaker’s comment. However, if that is so, we are forced to say that ערה ןושל וילע לבקל ןכש לכו ,'ד ללכב ליעל
the remark Rebbe made to Bar Kapparah – “I don’t recognize you” is not תלבק ןינעלד תוחדל שיש יפ לע ףאו .רתומש דבל
at all an expression of language that is degrading. Further on we wrote
in the second half of this sefer that logic dictates that such comments are אל םוקמ לכמ ךתימע הרותב רכזנ אל ערה ןושל
forbidden even if someone whom he believes with the same authority as .*רפסממ רתוי לבקמב רימחהל ארבתסמ
two witnesses made the remarks. That reason for accepting the “incidental”
remarks of his son is difficult (but nevertheless acceptable).
Another possible way (of explaining Rebbe’s actions) that is perhaps more :ה"הגה
agreeable, namely that Rebbe wanted to see how Bar Kapparah would
respond to him, and if he saw that Bar Kapparah remained silent then most ףואינ לש הריבע רבעש תחא םעפ קר וילע עמשנ םאו *
likely the remarks were true. Please see the Maharsha (Chidushei Agadot,
citation beginning with the words “He said to him”) in his commentary קיספ אלד אלק היהש ףא ,לכל ןימסרופמה ןירוסיאמ ב"יכו
there, that from the language of Rebbe’s response, he told Bar Kapparah םיביוא ול ןיא םגו ,ריעה לכ וילע וזעל הצחמו םוי ונייהד
“I don’t recognize you,” it is apparent that because Bar Kapparah said אל ה"לאד[ לוקה ואיצוה םהש םהילע רמול לכונש ריעב
“and what could Rebbe possibly say in this matter” Rebbe rebuked Bar
Kapparah using this language. Please see the (Maharsha) Chidushei ע"צ ]א"ע ה"כ תומביד איההכו קיספ אלד אלק בשחתמ
Agadot there, that Rebbe’s intention was to see how Bar Kapparah would ,הז רובע ותוזבל רתומ אהיש הינעמוש ינס ללכב הז םא
explain himself and then he would believe him, Rebbe had not concluded
an opinion based on Rebbe Shimon’s “incidental” remarks. Accordingly ןיאו ,תמא איהש בלב טילחהלו הז רבד לבקל וליפא וא
Rebbe could not be considered as one who accepts Lashon Hara as truth. ראובמכ אמלעב ןנברדמ אוה םשד ל"נה ה"כ תומבימ היאר
Rashi used this approach in Gemara Shabbat (56a) at the bottom of the .םיקסופב
page (in explaining David HaMelech’s response), that David HaMelech
responded conditionally to Tzevah in order to wait and see how events הז ןיאש עמשמ הליגמב ל"נה י"שר ירבדמ הרואכלו
would unfold and see if there was any truth to Tzevah’s report. Therefore,
David HaMelech could not be categorized as accepting Lashon Hara. 8 In three other editions, this is cited as mitzvah #6: Friedman edition, 5712
(Please see that reference). And don’t refute this argument since we decided (1951), New York, NY, the Association of “Notzrei Lashon, 13th edition
the law further on in the Laws of Esurei Rechilut, in the 6 Kelal (in the (2000) Israel (Bnei Brak) and in Sefer Chelkat Binyamin on Sefer Chafetz
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3 halacha), that even if he (the “victim”) stayed unresponsive, one could Chayim, (Rabbi Binyamin Cohen) 5764, Brooklyn, NY.
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